Gamma ray detection efficiency of GAGG crystal scintillator using three tagged gamma ray techniques

No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Doty, Brian
Solomey, Nickolas
Folkerts, Jonathan
Hartsock, Brooks
Meyer, Holger
Christl, Mark J.
Rodriguez-Otero, M.
Kuznetsov, E.
Advisors
Issue Date
2025-03
Type
Article
Keywords
Detector efficiency , GAGG , Gallium , Gamma , Neutrino , Scintillating crystal
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Citation
Abstract

A CubeSat with a prototype scintillating detector with a sensitive volume of Gadolinium-Aluminum-Gallium-Garnet crystal is being developed with a possible launch date of 2025. Its purpose is to characterize the background signals that mimic the neutrino interaction that the νSOL (Neutrino Solar Orbiting Laboratory) team is looking for. An important part of the characterization of the backgrounds and the expected real signal is understanding the gamma ray photopeak efficiency of the prototype detector when compared to simulations performed in Geant4. To this end we have used three techniques to do a measurement of the gamma ray efficiency compared to simulation. The first is using electron capture sources that emit an X-ray before prompt emission of a de-excitation gamma ray, specifically 65Zn and 54Mn. The second is using a β+ decay source wherein a positron annihilates on an atomic shell electron producing two back-to-back 511 keV gammas followed promptly by a de-excitation gamma, specifically 22Na. The third is using a gamma cascade of two near-simultaneous de-excitation gammas from the same nucleus, specifically from 60Co decay. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.

Table of Contents
Description
Click on the DOI link to access this article at the publishers website (may not be free).
Publisher
Elsevier B.V.
Journal
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Book Title
Series
PubMed ID
ISSN
01689002
EISSN